SE announces policy changes

[Sakino]

IMPORTANT - This FINAL FANTASY XI User Agreement (this "Agreement") is a binding, legal agreement between Square Enix, Inc. ("SEI" or "us" or "we") and you ("you"), and applies to and governs your use of the FINAL FANTASY XI massively multi-player online game (the "Game"). This Agreement forms a part of the FINAL FANTASY XI Software License Agreement (the "License Agreement"), which you were required to accept and execute prior to installing and playing the Game. The License Agreement (together with this Agreement) itself forms a part of the PlayOnline® Member Agreement (the "Member Agreement"), which you were required to accept and execute in order to obtain access to and use of the PlayOnline online entertainment service (referred to herein as "PlayOnline" or the "PlayOnline Service"). SEI provides the Game and the PlayOnline Service to you, a registered PlayOnline member, subject to this Agreement, which may be updated by SEI at any time without notice to you. As used herein, "Agreement" refers to the most current version of this Agreement. You can review the most current version of this Agreement at any time under the "Rules & Policies" section on the website directed at http://www.playonline.com (the "Website"). By playing the Game, you indicate your agreement to all of the terms of this Agreement, and you agree to abide by this Agreement at all times while playing the Game and while using PlayOnline in connection with your use of the Game.

Article 1: Application of this Agreement
The Agreement shall apply at all times to your use of the Game, including your use of PlayOnline to access or play the Game, or to access or participate in any related activities, materials or features. In the event of any conflict between this Agreement and the Member Agreement, this Agreement shall take precedence; provided, however, that for all matters that are not covered in this Agreement, the terms of the License Agreement and the Member Agreement (as applicable) shall continue to apply.

Article 2: Data Collection and Privacy
In the course of your playing the Game and using the PlayOnline Service, you may accumulate certain usage statistics, score information, character traits, performance records and other Game-related data that are stored for you in the Game and on PlayOnline servers (collectively, your "Player Data"). SEI makes no assurances, representations or warranties whatsoever about the accuracy, currency or continuing availability of this Player Data at any time and reserves its right, at any time and from time to time, without notice to you, to delete all or any part of your Player Data. SEI shall have no liability to you or to any third party for any such deletion, and further shall not be held responsible for any complete or partial deletion done or caused by you, any third party, or other act or occurrence beyond SEI's reasonable control, such as a fire, power outage, natural disaster, terrorist act, equipment failure or any other such act or occurrence, whether or not similar to the foregoing. In addition, your Player Data and other information about you are subject to our PlayOnline Service Privacy Policy, which you should review in its entirety and may be accessed under the "Rules & Policies" section of the PlayOnline Viewer and Website. You agree that you will not store or attempt to store any personal information or player data about other PlayOnline users, except to the extent that such storage is an integral part of the Game and necessary in order for you to play the Game.

Article 3: Prohibited Activities and Indemnification
3.1 Prohibited Activities.
You may not use the Game or PlayOnline for any activities that are illegal, fraudulent, or a violation of the rights of any third party. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following acts and activities are strictly prohibited and shall, without prejudice to any other rights or remedies that SEI may have, be cause for immediate termination of your PlayOnline account and your right to play the Game (or any other services) in connection therewith:

Any activities consisting of selling, offering to sell, purchasing, agreeing to purchase, exchanging, or agreeing to exchange "gil" (or any other currency that may be used in the Game from time to time), characters, or Game items for value (including, but not limited to, any payment in kind and any payment in any currency recognized as legal tender in any country, state, territory or other jurisdiction anywhere in the world) through any means or venue, including, without limitation, Internet auctions or other online exchanges;
The use of or participation in the Game for the purpose, in furtherance of, or in preparation for committing any illegal acts (including, by way of example but not limitation, any kind of gambling) or otherwise violating any applicable local, state, national or international law, or any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder;
The interference with or disruption of the Game or the PlayOnline Service or any servers or networks connected thereto, or the failure to obey any procedures, policies, regulations or other requirements of any networks connected to the PlayOnline Service;
The unauthorized use, duplication, transmission, display, performance or distribution of any items owned by you or third parties, or any other commission of any act of copyright, trademark, or patent infringement, trade secret infringement or misappropriation, or any other violation of any intellectual property or other proprietary right;
The impersonation or attempted impersonation of any employee of SEI or any SEI partner or affiliate, any other user of the Game or the PlayOnline Service, or any other person, in a manner intended to deceive or mislead any third party, or in any effort to access the account of another Game player or PlayOnline user;
The use of the Game or the PlayOnline Service to harass any third party, including other users of the Game and PlayOnline Service, or to solicit, encourage or threaten bodily harm or destruction of property;
Use of any cheat codes or cheat devices; and
SEI does not consent to or authorize any recording or reproduction of any communications with you. You may not record, reproduce or publish any communication with SEI. In addition to any other rights or remedies that SEI may have, you may also be subject to criminal and civil sanctions and fines.

3.2 Indemnification.
You agree to indemnify, defend and hold SEI harmless from and against any and all claims, suits, actions, expenses, attorney and other legal fees and costs arising from your commission of any acts or activities prohibited by this Article 3.

Article 4: User Disputes
You shall be solely responsible for resolving any and all disputes that may arise between you and other Game players or PlayOnline users in connection with the Game or your use of PlayOnline, and for paying any and all expenses incurred by you in connection with resolving such dispute. SEI shall not be responsible for mediating or resolving any such disputes and shall have no liability to you or to any third party for any costs, fees, expenses, damages or other losses incurred in connection with or as a result of any such disputes.

[Sakino]

This outlines the basic Rules and Conduct that players should follow to ensure an enjoyable FINAL FANTASY XI experience. Our priority is to make FINAL FANTASY XI safe and enjoyable for all players. With this in mind please be sure to follow the PlayOnline Rules and Conduct Guidelines when playing FINAL FANTASY XI.

* As some parts have been updated, please take some time to reread the PlayOnline Member Agreement and Policies.

It's easy for misunderstandings to happen between people who are far way. In order to maintain a friendly environment, please keep the following in mind:


ConductIt never hurts to be polite.
When giving advice, remember that a little kindness can go a long way.
Try to foster an accommodating atmosphere.
If it's not appropriate in everyday life, it's probably not appropriate online either.
Try not to let personal information about yourself and others slip out.

Harassment and disruptive behavior are not allowed in FINAL FANTASY XI or PlayOnline. These actions violate the PlayOnline Member Agreement and can result in disciplinary action. The following are examples of inappropriate behavior in FINAL FANTASY XI (Please refer to the PlayOnline Rules & Policies for more information).
* Be sure to also refer to the "GM Policies" now available to the public.

HarassmentUsing language not acceptable in a public venue.
Any language that condemns any race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation or gender.
Any language that is purposely meant to harm or harass a third party.
Any group formed for the purpose of harassing a player or players.
Disruptive BehaviorAny action that deliberately causes a monster to attack another player character, or MPK-related action.
Holding a Notorious Monster without attacking it while other players are waiting.
Deliberately interrupting a conversation or chat session by spamming the log window or other such actions.
Sending unwanted items to another player through the delivery box.
Group actions that block access and impede other players' movements within the game.
Any action that keeps another player from completing a quest or mission.
Examining other players continuously to disrupt their gameplay.
Consistently depriving other players of the chance to enjoy combat over an extended period of time.
Any other action that is determined by a GM to cause a disruption in gameplay.
In-Game FraudDefined as any action to defraud another player with the intent to gain items or gil for personal profit.

Game Balance IssuesAny use of a program that is not officially sanctioned by Square Enix.
Controlling a player character through use of a program or machine that is not officially sanctioned by Square Enix.
ANY use of third-party programs, regardless of benefit.
Selling items or accounts to gain money in the real world, or other RMT-related actions.



Other Improper ActionsTrying to impersonate other players by using their handle names or other means of communication.
Ignoring instructions from Game Masters.
Impersonating a Game Master or an official representative of Square Enix.
Any act that compromises the FINAL FANTASY XI service, or attempts to affect said service.
Additionally, GMs may give directives to players during periods of technical difficulties with the game. This is to prevent any harmful side effects to players and should be followed immediately. SQUARE ENIX is not responsible for any negative effects on account of players who ignore such directives. This includes any directives given during normal maintenance service.

We suggest the following actions to avoid harassment.

Use the blacklistAdd a character to the blacklist to filter any actions or chat messages from that character. To add someone to your blacklist, follow these steps.

[ /blacklist add xxx (Character name) ]

Remember, characters must be logged in if you wish to add them to your blacklist. You can see who is on your blacklist by typing "/blacklist" or "/blist."

Block all trade, party requests, and spell effects from other playersThe block aid command lets you block any incoming trade, party requests, or magic spell effects from members outside your party or Alliance.

[ /blockaid on/off ]

This feature is off by default. Once turned on, it will remain so until you move from the area, get KO'd or log out of the game.

Kick a player from your Linkshell or partyIf a character in your Linkshell is causing trouble, you can kick the offender out. Only the leaders or sub-leaders of Linkshells can do this.
If a character in your party is harassing others, you can kick the offender out. Only the party leader can do this.

All actions prohibited by the PlayOnline Member Agreement, FINAL FANTASY XI Software License Agreement and User Agreement & Policies may result in a penalty against an offending player's account by a GM. All penalties are recorded permanently. Repeat offenses will result in escalated penalties. All details regarding the penalty are sent through PlayOnline mail to the player. Sometimes characters are sent to Mordion Gaol (jail) where a GM will explain the details of the penalty to the offending character.

Account penalties are divided into the following categories:

Warning
Light infractions against policies will result in a warning from the GM. The offender is warned that his actions are in violation and instructed not to do so again.
Account Suspension
Severe infractions against policies will result in the GM suspending the offending account for a set period of time. Certain violations may result in an account being investigated by the Account Administrator for termination. Players whose accounts are suspended will be unable to use the PlayOnline Service for the duration of their suspension. Account suspensions are referred to as Penalty Boxes (PB). There are three types of PBs, 24 PB, 48PB, and 72PB. Which penalty is issued will depend on the severity of the violation and past record of the offending account. The numbers refer to 24, 48 and 72 hours after 0:00 (midnight) the day after the suspension is issued and signifies the duration of the suspension. Any account that receives a 72PB will undergo investigation by the Account Administrator for termination of that account.

An account suspension will not be lifted until the Administrator's investigation is finished, and the suspension may exceed the standard 72 hours. After the investigation is over, the Administrator will send a warning to those accounts which are not terminated. This warning informs the offender that any further violations may result in the termination of his or her account and forfeiture of PlayOnline membership.
Ban
An account ban permanently removes PlayOnline membership and is carried out by the Account Administrator in the event of a severe violation. Any account that has been banned by the Account Administrator can never be used again. Mail will be sent to the address registered to the account informing the account holder of their forfeit of member status.


Suggestions and Directions from GMsIn addition to the penalties explained above, a GM may issue a suggestion to a player. A suggestion is to inform a player that if he/she continues their current course of actions it may result in an infraction of the member agreements. A suggestion is not a penalty. However it is important that you follow any direction given by a GM. If you choose to ignore the GM, a penalty may be placed on your account.

Penalty EscalationIf a similar violation occurs after the first PB has been issued, the player's account may be penalized with a 72 PB and their account investigated for termination. Warnings are escalated in a similar manner. If a player receives a Warning for a particular infraction and then commits a similar action in the future, he or she will receive a 24 PB.

Certain minor infractions that are repeated over a short period of time may result in a heavier-than-usual penalty carried out against the offending account.

[Sakino]

Outline Our Game Masters (GMs) are responsible for monitoring and regulating the in-game environment to provide a fair, safe and enjoyable game play experience for our customers. Game Masters play a major role in rescuing player characters that have become stuck, they take action against 3rd party tool users, and respond to user requests for issues such as lost items etc.

The GM policy is a set of rules by which all GMs operate to ensure that the game proceeds smoothly for all FINAL FANTASY XI users.

All GM policies are now available to the public for reference. These policies will be updated when new issues arise that need to be addressed.

If you have any comments or opinions regarding our GM policies or procedures, we would like to hear your feedback. Player feedback is one of our most important sources of information. It allows us to continually improve our support as well as improve and revise future GM policies.

Item Recovery

You can send requests to restore in-game items that have been lost. However, requests for item restoration will only be honored a limited number of times.

- A request must be received within one week (7 days) after the item's loss.
- The GM staff will only compensate for items that are confirmed via investigation.
- There is no guarantee that items lost in this manner will be recovered, nor can we provide an estimated time of completion.

To submit an item recovery request, do so via "Help DesK" > "I can't move my character or log out of the game" > "Other," with detailed information on the date and area where you noticed the loss.


Reasons

Losing items or gil can be a trying experience. We will try our best to recover these types of items, but there will be times when this is not possible. We appreciate your understanding if this should occur.

Players can only utilize this service a limited number of times. Please consider carefully whether this service is necessary due to its restrictions.

Harassment




Response Policy

Under the GM policy, harassment is defined as "Certain types of expression toward other players using character input functions including Chat, Search Comments and Bazaar Comments. These include ethnic discrimination, racial discrimination, religious discrimination, sexual discrimination and obscene expressions. Action and expressions outside of character input functions also fall under this category."

We will not tolerate any behavior or comments that infringe upon the enjoyment of the gaming experience by others. In cases where harassment is confirmed, we will suspend the offenders' PlayOnline account or take more severe action.

For harassment cases, PlayOnline accounts are reviewed by the Account Admin for possible permanent account termination. When the harassment consists of a group of players, all players involved will receive appropriate punishment. Due to privacy restrictions, details of the punishment will not be disclosed to other individuals.

Once GMs receive reports on harassment, they will start an investigation. The GM will determine through the use of logs whether a violation has occurred. If it is found that the player has committed harassment, the GM will take the appropriate action. Our GM staff will determine each case independently as each case is unique.

If you would like to report harassment, please submit a GM call via "Help Desk" > "I want to report a violation of the PlayOnline Member Agreement".

Reasons

Much like the real world, in FINAL FANTASY XI, there are many different types of personalities and opinions. Every player has the right to freely express his or her feelings, but should do so in an appropriate manner. Due to the diversity of opinions, feelings, beliefs and cultures, conflicts may arise. Please note that where two parties may not agree with each other, it does not necessarily imply harassment.

In real life, there are various definitions of harassment. We define harassment as expressions and comments that infringe upon the ability of other players to enjoy the game. Severe punishment, including the suspension of the PlayOnline account will be issued to players who are found to have harassed others. Additionally, expressions intended to discriminate against fellow players will be classified as harassment even if the intended player is not present.

Inappropriate behavior




Response Policy

Behavior that disturbs other players' game experience but would not be defined as harassment is considered inappropriate behavior. GMs will take action against such actions. Although GMs do not handle these issues, if such behavior has exceeded a certain degree, a penalty may be given to the offender.

Online conduct has been established to help out the in-game community. Healthy growth of in game community might be disrupted if a GM plays the main role in such issues. Therefore, instead of actually getting involved in such issues, the GMs may think of the best way to have these issues resolved between players.

If you encounter any inappropriate behavior, please make a report from "Help Desk" -> "I want to report a violation of the PlayOnline Member Agreement" -> "Others."

Examples of Inappropriate Behavior:

-MPK attempts
This refers to actions in which the offender intentionally brings monsters to other players and makes them attack the victims. The GM may confiscate the offender's loot, or delete the monsters if confirmed. A penalty will also be issued to the offender and any players who aid the attempt.

-Monster holding
Holding a monster, especially Notorious Monsters, over an extended period or intentionally delaying the battle in order to adjust the next spawn window may result in GM involvement.

-Continuous (chat log) spamming
Spamming /tell, /random or skill increment logs to prevent other players' from chatting, regardless to intention, may result in GMs taking action against players if the action has disturbed others.

-Repeatedly delivering items to a certain player
Players who repeatedly send (unwanted) items to hinder the receiver from using the delivery system will be given either a warning or penalty.

-Gridlocking.
This referes to actions such as blocking passages to mog houses in groups, or gathering near mog house entrances because the home point has been set there. These actions are not considered violations, but GMs may approach you and request you move away from the spot. If the player is not present, GMs will leave a message and move you to a nearby spot.

[Sakino]

In-Game Scams




Response Policy
We define scamming as using inappropriate actions to defraud a fellow player from in-game items or possessions. Such inappropriate actions can be defined as, but not limited to, misinformation, switching items out for others during a trade and not abiding by the trade parameters set.

Trade scamming will be investigated by the GM staff and account action may be taken on all individuals that are found to be involved in a trade scam. Any items or gil that are part of a trade scam will also be confiscated, including items and gil traded to a third party. If the items and gil cannot be recovered (they were discarded, etc.), we will confiscate other items equivalent to the value of the scammed items and impose a stricter penalty if necessary.

We will try to return all confiscated items and gil to the victim, but this is not guaranteed, and there is a limited number of times for such compensation.

As a rule, GMs will not get involved in player disputes. But, if an item was lent to another player and the borrower refuses to return the item, this will be treated as a trade scam and will be dealt with accordingly. If you find yourself a victim of a trade scam, please report this to the GM staff via "Support Desk" > "I am being harassed" within a week with detailed information.

* Please understand that if the GM staff is unable to find evidence of trade or delivery data during the course of the investigation, items will not be compensated.
* Please understand that due to technical constraints, the GM staff is only able to assist with trade scam investigations that are reported within one week of their occurrence. GMs cannot pursue reports received any later

Reasons
Trade scams affect not only the perpetrator and the victim, but also Square Enix and the community as whole. To promote the growth of a healthy community, we must do our best to prevent them.

First, we will confiscate all items and gil that the scammer gained. Additionally, if the scammed items and gil have been traded to a third party, they may be confiscated from that party. If the items or gil no longer exist, items equivalent to the value of the scammed items will be confiscated.

To protect yourself from scams, always double-check items in the trade window before hitting the "accept" button. Also when loaning items to others, set clear terms for the date and time of return.

Compromised Accounts




Response Policy

A compromised account is defined as someone who is not the account holder gaining access to an account through unauthorized means in order to use the account. These actions are not only against the PlayOnline Member Agreement, but may be prosecuted by law in real life.

The theft of an account is a crime punishable by a court of law. The victim must report the
incident to the nearest authorities. SQUARE ENIX will cooperate with the authorities in any way possible. Please change your PlayOnline password immediately to prevent further damage.

How to Prevent Your Account Being Compromised

Please take the following precautions to prevent unauthorized access to your account.
- NEVER give your PlayOnline ID or Password to anyone.
- Be sure to always use the "Guest Login" feature if using your PlayOnline account in a net cafe or any other venue where a third party may have access to the machine you use. Do NOT save your ID and Password when using such a machine.
- If using a PC, be sure to periodically update it with Windows Update and check your computer for viruses and keep all security patches current.
- Refrain from using ANY third-party program that directly affects PlayOnline or FINAL FANTASY XI.
- Change your password on a regular basis.

Actions that could result in an unfair advantage




The following is prohibited:

- Use of any program or tool within any PlayOnline service that allows certain continuous actions to be performed automatically.
- Use of any item within any PlayOnline service that allows a certain continuous action to be performed automatically.
- Changing, combining, reverse engineering, analyzing game data, and creating or distributing related utility programs.
- Use of any unofficial program to the benefit of the user.
- Selling of in-game characters or items for currency, also known as "real money trading" (RMT).

The above actions disrupt the game balance and will be penalized.

Third-party program usage
Use of any third-party program that affects game play is prohibited, whether or not it benefits the user.

If investigation, including log checks and other standard investigation procedures reveals that the player has gained an unfair advantage, the account holder will be punished. If you have witnessed players moving at unusual speeds, please contact a GM so that we can look into the matter. GMs may also approach players during the investigation, and your cooperation will be appreciated.

Game Exploits

Players who take advantage of in-game mechanics not intended as normal means of game play may have their account suspended and all items or experience obtained through those actions confiscated.

Real Money Trades (RMT)

Real Money Trading is the sale of in-game items, currency, characters or other data in order to obtain real money. RMT actions are strictly prohibited and any players caught participating in RMT-related activities will be punished. If you hear of any transactions of in-game data for money or any other RMT activity, please report the details to a GM.

How to Make GM Calls

If you witness any of the actions mentioned above please make a GM call to the Game Master staff. Select the "Help Desk" -> "I want to report a violation of the PlayOnline Member Agreement" and place a call.

Reasons

Items and gil obtained illegally through third-party tools or RMT activities can affect the game's economic stability, and can disrupt game play balance. Some third party programs contain viruses and spyware which can be harmful to other players unbeknownst to the third party program user. This can lead to a leak of users' personal data, character deletion, or other unfortunate circumstances.

The Special Task Force

The Special Task Force is dedicated to stopping the use of third-party programs and RMT-related activities. All data gathered by our GMs is investigated by our Special Task Force. The Special Task Force allows us to take action against third-party tool users and RMT-related activities in a manner that we normally would not be able to do using only GMs.

[Eviticus]

That trading nonsense might actually hit the true players more then the "bad guys". Not often do I hear of legitimate players being scammed, but more often I see legitimate players scamming RMT's.

All they have to do is report it, and the players get boned by the GM's.

[Kintrra]

That trading nonsense might actually hit the true players more then the "bad guys". Not often do I hear of legitimate players being scammed, but more often I see legitimate players scamming RMT's.

All they have to do is report it, and the players get boned by the GM's.

Assuming the RMT can speak enough english that the GM doesn't look at them and go "You by any chance getting paid to play this from somewhere in China?"

[Karou Ariyen]

They have chinese GM's who speak chinese, this is an MMORPG.

[Kintrra]

They have chinese GM's who speak chinese, this is an MMORPG.

First I've heard of this, last I checked we had Japanese and English GMs.

[Karou Ariyen]

I shouldn't say Chinese, I Meant Japanese, but they have GMs who speak multiple languages. GMs in EU will have to know french and english and german etc. otherwise how else do you handle international help calls?

[Sugami]

Tell them to call back when they speak English